DALLAS -- Jaromir Jagr may not remember who scored when he logged his first NHL assist on Oct. 19, 1990 as the Pittsburgh Penguins and Buffalo Sabres played to a 4-4 tie at the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium. But, the current Dallas Stars wing does realize just how huge his next assist will be.

With his next pass that leads to a Dallas goal, Jagr will reach 1,000 assists, a feat achieved by only 11 other players in League history. That milestone moment could come as early as Monday night when the Stars host the Minnesota Wild.

"It's a big achievement. There's no question about it," Jagr said. "Only eleven guys in history have done it. First I have to get there, I guess."

Of the 11 players who have already reached 1,000 assists, the veteran wing has been teammates with four -- Ron Francis (1,247 assists for second place on the list), Mark Messier (1,193, third), Paul Coffey (1,135, fifth) and Mario Lemieux (1,033 tenth).

Jagr remembers his time with each of those legends quite well.

ALL IN THE SPOTLIGHT STORIES ›

"Coffey's there, Mario [Lemieux], Ron Francis, he was my centerman probably the longest of all those guys," Jagr said. "Probably six, seven years, we played together; him and Mario on most of the power plays."

Dallas wing Tomas Vincour grew up in the Czech Republic idolizing Jagr and to potentially be a part of a history-making moment with Jagr is a big deal to Vincour.

"That would be great, to see him get his 1,000 assist and to be part of it," he said.

Vincour even relayed a story from the Stars bench after Jagr got career assist No. 999 in a 5-2 win against the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday night. He, Eric Nystrom and Jagr were sitting on the bench when Jagr informed them that helper was assist No. 999. Nystrom wondered if his teammate meant points, to which Jagr responded that he had 999 points 10 years ago, a comment which drew laughter from all three players.

"It's an incredible number, Eriksson said. "It's pretty crazy to see that will happen. It's probably going to happen [Monday night]," Eriksson said. "He's been playing good for us lately. It's going to be fun when he does that. One thousand assists is a lot of hard work. He's been a great player over his whole career. It's good for him."

"It's pretty mind-boggling, especially he spent I think four years away from this League as well," Dallas coach Glen Gulutzan added. "And to have 1,000 assists, or 999 which he's at right now, is pretty neat. It's a pretty special thing to have 1,000 assists in the League."

As for the first assist of his legendary career, Jagr admits he didn't keep the puck as he did for his first NHL goal, which came on Oct. 7, 1990 against the New Jersey Devils. He also didn't remember who scored the goal, but decided it was Zarley Zalapski after determining that he couldn't have assisted on the Penguins' other goals that night by John Cullen and Joey Mullen.

"I didn't play with John [Cullen] or Joe [Mullen] so it's going to be [Zarley] Zalapski," Jagr said. "I didn't play on the same line with John Cullen. Joey [Mullen] was also a right wing, so it had to be Zalapski. I remember my first goal but I don't remember my first assist."

Devoted fans of Jagr, it is with heavy sadness that Jagr must write for you this day. Jagr has long felt zděšení that this day would come, but Jagr is still unprepared for it. You see, today it is confirmed for Jagr that mentální status of Jagr's long, close, personal friend Mario Lemieux is in decline, perhaps lost forever.

Jagr has played for Dallas LHN hokej club this season, as you know, but this has been very trying for Jagr in certain ways. For instance, LHN ownerships does not wish to pay Jagr his just payments and so these kreténi keep locks on all players to prevent sport from being performed. Jagr at first does not mind this because he can play hokej for his own Kladno club in Česká republika, but then Jagr remembers why he left this peklo in first places. For one thing, Jagr remembers now that he owes almost as much in reparations to České gangsteři as he does to similar figures in American states, and so there is no benefit to Jagr for being here in that way. For another thing, money in this place is worth less than Jagr's spit. Jagr would not even sell Kip's useless shell of body for five hundreds korun, when Jagr would certainly sell Kip for less than five hundreds of almost any other currency. Anyway, this is all only part of the point.

What is concerning to Jagr is that the Dallas club of LHN is in very strong danger of failing to make postseasons play. Jagr has explained over and over again to his hloupí teammates and coaches that this difficulty is simply failure to provide Jagr with the puck at all times, but senselessly they ignore Jagr's sound advices in this. Normally Jagr would be upset only at failure to make playoff, but this year is more pressure on Jagr in this respect as he makes large proposition with many figures of organizovaný zločin that Jagr's team will advance to playoffs in this season. Jagr may have significant problems if this does not take place. So you can understand where Jagr is coming from, yes?

Now, on Sunday Jagr hears news that Pittsburgh club of LHN, where Jagr is held in highest esteem for many triumphs of sport and which is sure to make playoffs and thereby settle Jagr's proposition favorably, has acquired veteran Dallas club forward. It is only natural to assume that Pittsburgh has reacquired Jagr after many insulting years of spitting in Jagr's faces to not reacquire him. So Jagr orders Jan to pack Jagr's suitcases and carry Jagr to airport in his rickshaw, which of course leads to Jan's constant complaints that he is "starving" and "weak" and so forth, because he is useless padavka who lives to make Jagr's life difficult. But finally Jan deposits Jagr at airport, where Jagr finds his teammate Brenden Morrows (I think? Jagr does not know the names of many of his teammates on the Dallas club yet) also there. Jagr greets this Morrows person only to find that it is this stařena Morrows, and not Jagr (who is superior to this Morrows in all ways), who has been acquired by Pittsburgh. Now Jagr must activate Jan's shock collar to force his return to airport to pick Jagr back up and carry him back to his domicile, and this is huge inconvenience for Jagr.

Then, this morning, Jagr wakes up and orders Kip to read news reports, which says that Pittsburgh club has acquired veteran forward with first name beginning J-A-R-O-M-, and obviously Jagr sees that they have finally reacquired JAROMIR JAGR, you agree or not? But then stupid bone-bag Kip completes this name and it is clear that Penguins have acquired this person Jarome Iginla from Calgary team, which Jagr is surprised to find is also an LHN club somehow. This Iginla has played long time but his achievements are bezcenný compared to Jagr and it is inconceivable that the Pittsburgh club has yet again failed to achieve its intentions.

So, my friends, there is only one conclusion from this week: Jagr's close, personal, lifelong friend Mario Lemieux has twice attempted to acquire Jagr only to have his feeble brains prevented in this by his usurper manager Shero. Jagr does not know how long Mario may have to cling to his life; Jagr's repeated attempts to call Mario this week have been blocked, obviously by this demon Shero who has also changed all of Mario's phone numbers to prevent Jagr from speaking to him. Please, for Jagr's many fans in Pittsburgh, you must use your means to pass some messages of aid to Mario and thwart this Shero from his evil deeds. Hodně štěstí a Bůh s tebou!

Devoted fans of Jagr, it is with heavy sadness that Jagr must write for you this day. Jagr has long felt zděšení that this day would come, but Jagr is still unprepared for it. You see, today it is confirmed for Jagr that mentální status of Jagr's long, close, personal friend Mario Lemieux is in decline, perhaps lost forever.

Jagr has played for Dallas LHN hokej club this season, as you know, but this has been very trying for Jagr in certain ways. For instance, LHN ownerships does not wish to pay Jagr his just payments and so these kreténi keep locks on all players to prevent sport from being performed. Jagr at first does not mind this because he can play hokej for his own Kladno club in Česká republika, but then Jagr remembers why he left this peklo in first places. For one thing, Jagr remembers now that he owes almost as much in reparations to České gangsteři as he does to similar figures in American states, and so there is no benefit to Jagr for being here in that way. For another thing, money in this place is worth less than Jagr's spit. Jagr would not even sell Kip's useless shell of body for five hundreds korun, when Jagr would certainly sell Kip for less than five hundreds of almost any other currency. Anyway, this is all only part of the point.

What is concerning to Jagr is that the Dallas club of LHN is in very strong danger of failing to make postseasons play. Jagr has explained over and over again to his hloupí teammates and coaches that this difficulty is simply failure to provide Jagr with the puck at all times, but senselessly they ignore Jagr's sound advices in this. Normally Jagr would be upset only at failure to make playoff, but this year is more pressure on Jagr in this respect as he makes large proposition with many figures of organizovaný zločin that Jagr's team will advance to playoffs in this season. Jagr may have significant problems if this does not take place. So you can understand where Jagr is coming from, yes?

Now, on Sunday Jagr hears news that Pittsburgh club of LHN, where Jagr is held in highest esteem for many triumphs of sport and which is sure to make playoffs and thereby settle Jagr's proposition favorably, has acquired veteran Dallas club forward. It is only natural to assume that Pittsburgh has reacquired Jagr after many insulting years of spitting in Jagr's faces to not reacquire him. So Jagr orders Jan to pack Jagr's suitcases and carry Jagr to airport in his rickshaw, which of course leads to Jan's constant complaints that he is "starving" and "weak" and so forth, because he is useless padavka who lives to make Jagr's life difficult. But finally Jan deposits Jagr at airport, where Jagr finds his teammate Brenden Morrows (I think? Jagr does not know the names of many of his teammates on the Dallas club yet) also there. Jagr greets this Morrows person only to find that it is this stařena Morrows, and not Jagr (who is superior to this Morrows in all ways), who has been acquired by Pittsburgh. Now Jagr must activate Jan's shock collar to force his return to airport to pick Jagr back up and carry him back to his domicile, and this is huge inconvenience for Jagr.

Then, this morning, Jagr wakes up and orders Kip to read news reports, which says that Pittsburgh club has acquired veteran forward with first name beginning J-A-R-O-M-, and obviously Jagr sees that they have finally reacquired JAROMIR JAGR, you agree or not? But then stupid bone-bag Kip completes this name and it is clear that Penguins have acquired this person Jarome Iginla from Calgary team, which Jagr is surprised to find is also an LHN club somehow. This Iginla has played long time but his achievements are bezcenný compared to Jagr and it is inconceivable that the Pittsburgh club has yet again failed to achieve its intentions.

So, my friends, there is only one conclusion from this week: Jagr's close, personal, lifelong friend Mario Lemieux has twice attempted to acquire Jagr only to have his feeble brains prevented in this by his usurper manager Shero. Jagr does not know how long Mario may have to cling to his life; Jagr's repeated attempts to call Mario this week have been blocked, obviously by this demon Shero who has also changed all of Mario's phone numbers to prevent Jagr from speaking to him. Please, for Jagr's many fans in Pittsburgh, you must use your means to pass some messages of aid to Mario and thwart this Shero from his evil deeds. Hodně štěstí a Bůh s tebou!

OMG...... That is brilliant and deserving of a Down Goes Brown column.

Lots of internal debate in Stars front office right now: do they sign Jagr or do they trade him? Lots of interest in him of course

´Jagr still in limbo

On the Jaromir Jagr front, it was still unclear as of Monday afternoon what will transpire. The Dallas Stars approached the Jagr camp three weeks ago about a contract extension, and the two sides have gone back and forth since. But still no contract extension.

Why? I'm hearing the Stars' front office is debating whether the team should sign or trade Jagr. And that decision had not been made as of Monday afternoon.

Other teams are absolutely calling with interest on Jagr. No surprise there, as he'd be a perfect rental. Hello, Boston Bruins?

But the Stars, who already dealt pending UFA Brenden Morrow, have to figure out if they should cash in on pending UFA Jagr or keep him around for another season. After all, the Stars were only two points out of a playoff spot Monday morning.

...why is this a decision?? Where is Dallas going this year or next for that matter, by the time Dallas is making a serious cup run Jagr will be preparing his HHOF speech, so get the best deal and make it. I understand he's an asset on the ice and he's putting people in the seats for Dallas, just deal him you're team isn't built for a long playoff run, so why the hand wringing?

since1970 wrote:...why is this a decision?? Where is Dallas going this year or next for that matter, by the time Dallas is making a serious cup run Jagr will be preparing his HHOF speech, so get the best deal and make it. I understand he's an asset on the ice and he's putting people in the seats for Dallas, just deal him you're team isn't built for a long playoff run, so why the hand wringing?

I have to admit, I worry a bit about the storybook aspect of Jagr going to Boston and potentially knocking the Pens out of the playoffs two years in a row after Shero told Jagr that he did not want him on this team.